Newspaper Page Text
April 16,2008
^Reporter
PAGE 7A
Goddard
continued from page 1A
balancing act trying to
please his liberal party
while placating his conser
vative district back home.
“He’s very careful about
his votes,” said Goddard,
sitting down for an inter
view with the Reporter
before his speech. Goddard
said Marshall votes with
his liberal Democratic
leadership on preliminary
votes such as amendments
to bills. But when a final
vote comes, said Goddard,
Marshall waits until the
very end of the voting cycle
to see if Democrats have
enough votes to pass a bill
that would be unpopular in
middle Georgia. If they do,
he’s free to vote against it,
yet it still passes, said
Goddard.
Goddard said if he’s elect
ed, middle Georgians will
have someone with honesty
and integrity who’ll take
clear stands on the issues.
“I’ll give conservative
middle Georgia values a
voice AND a vote in
Congress,” said Goddard.
“A vote is pretty hollow if
you don’t have a voice.”
For example, Goddard
said Marshall has voted
seven times to block a vote
on the Federal Intelligence
Surveillance Act (FISA),
which used to give federal
agents authority to listen
to overseas conversations
between suspected terror
ists. The new legislation
would have extended
immunity to phone compa
nies from lawsuits over the
surveillance. Congress let
FISA expire earlier this
year, and Goddard says
Marshall let it happen.
“This is not a man look
ing out for the interests of
America,” said Goddard.
“This is a man looking out
for the trail lawyers.”
Goddard pounded the
theme of leadership, saying
he can provide the leader
ship the country needs to
face its many challenges.
Goddard touted his own
leadership experience, hav
ing commanded Georgia
largest industrial complex,
Warner Robins Air Force
Base. In 2000, Goddard
retired as a major general
after 34 years with the Air
Force. Since then, he has
served as vice president
and chief technology officer
at Mercer University, but
is taking a leave to run for
Congress.
Goddard and his wife,
Judy, live in Houston
Pool
continued from page 1A
City council member Mike Dodd wants the city to explore building
an amphitheater like this one at UGA at a revamped city park on
Country Club Road. The city has $300,000 coming for recreation in
a new one-cent sale tax. (Special to the Reporter)
Road park. But the county moved its recreation head
quarters to its current 1-75 site, and has only used the
fields sparsely for practice.
Dodd said he wants the land back. He said he’d like to
use it for a revamped city park that would include a pool,
an open-air amphitheater and a civic center.
But there’s also the question of who would run the pool,
whether the city would get back into the recreation busi
ness or let the county rec department do it. The issue
might be complicated by the fact that two recreation
department employees, Rosemary Walker and Desi
Hansford, are on the council. But Dodd said he thinks
it’d be better if the county kept all of its recreation at one
location, the current headquarters off 1-75.
Regardless, Dodd shared his vision for such a park with
council members at their April 1 meeting. His plan
includes a natural, grass and stone amphitheater styled
after one at the University of Georgia. Dodd added that
the city could build a civic center there as well.
Walker, chair of the council’s administrative committee,
said the city will have to wait until the SPLOST money
starts coming in before making those plans happen.
Still, Dodd passed around a photo of an amphitheater
he envisions, allowing that he has no idea what it would
costs to build it. Dodd said the city could at least get
started by clearing out a ravine at the current city park
next to the golf course and armory for an amphitheater
site. Council member James Calloway noted the county
has lots of big equipment it might share to help do the
work, and the use of inmate labor was discussed. It was
suggested Hanson Quarry may be willing to donate some
of the rock.
Either way, Mayor Howard said the pool is a priority.
“We will find a way to get a pool,” said Howard. “It’s
going to happen.”
In other city news:
• The city will continue to pay only half of its thus far
$300,000 bill for legals fees for a number of civil rights
lawsuits filed by current and former city employees in
2006. All but one of the cases have been settled or dis
missed.
The city reached a settlement with its former liability
insurance company, Argonaut Great Central Insurance
Co., which has agreed to pay half the costs of the legal
fees. The city and Argonaut had been at odds over
whether Argonaut would be liable for some or all of the
legal fees due to a dispute over when the company was
notified of the lawsuits.
• Businessman James Green has withdrawn his
request for a variance he had sought to begin work on a
small commercial strip at the old Mattie Battle store on
MLK Boulevard.
County and have three
sons, one of which is an
Iraq War veteran.
Goddard says he’s never
run for political office
before, but got interested
while helping his wife, who
was the chairman of the
Houston County
Republican Party. He said
he’s concerned that the
current Democratic leader
ship in Congress has no
respect for the country’s
core values that are
embedded in the constitu
tion.
Goddard said if he’s elect
ed he will focus a lot on
national security, on sup
porting the troops and win
ning the war on Islamic
terrorism. He said he
would be appointed to the
Armed Services
Committee. Marshall is
currently on that
Committee, which has a
big influence on Warner
Robins. Goddard said
America also needs leader
ship on energy, noting
Democrats have ignored
the problem of U.S.
dependence on foreign oil,
refusing to let companies
drill for more of it at home.
On immigration, Goddard
said stemming the tide of
illegal immigrants is a top
priority. And Goddard said
he will fight against social
ized medicine, looking for
better ways to keep health
care costs down.
Marshall has narrowly
fended off three challenges
in his faces for Congress.
In 2002 and 2004, the for
mer Macon mayor barely
beat former Bibb County
commissioner Calder Clay.
In 2006, he squeaked by
former Congressman Mac
Collins. But district 8,
which stretches from 1-20
around Covington to
Moultrie in deep South
Georgia, does lean conser
vative. President Bush and
Gov. Sonny Perdue carried
the district with 60 percent
of the vote.
Goddard said with his
strong base of support in
Houston County and
around Warner Robins, he
thinks he has a good
chance to beat the incum
bent. “This is a Republican
district that deserves a
conservative leader,” said
Goddard. Goddard said the
key is his ability to work
the grassroots.
He said he’s willing to
work hard to win because
he wants to leave the coun
try in as good a shape for
his children and grandchil
dren as it has been for
him.
Goddard has named Greg
Tapley, a former candidate
for county commissioner,
as his Monroe County
chairman.
When it comes to
fighting for a
cure, Banker's
Hours don't
end at 5 p.m
fr
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Kelly Hutzler has worked for Monroe County Bank for 13
years and serves as the compliance and security officer. She
knows cancer doesn't stop working at 5 p.m., so why
should she? Kelly is passionate about helping to find a cure
for cancer. She serves as the accounting chairperson for
Monroe County's Relay for Life planning committee and
on the Monroe County Leadership Council for the Ameri
can Cancer Society.
During the recent cancer survivor's dinner held at Forsyth
United Methodist Church, Kelly pitched right in. Celebrat
ing each one's victory over cancer, she cheerfully helped
serve dinner to the guests of honor. Giving back to her
community and doing what she can to brighten the lives of
cancer survivors and their families is something Kelly and
Monroe County Bank really believes in.
FDIC
INSURED
MONROE COUNTY BANK
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